Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

भृत्यानां च परित्यागः साधुबंधुतपस्विनाम् । गवां क्षत्रियवैश्यानां स्त्रीशूद्राणां च ताडनम्

Transliteration

bhṛtyānāṃ ca parityāgaḥ sādhubaṃdhutapasvinām | gavāṃ kṣatriyavaiśyānāṃ strīśūdrāṇāṃ ca tāḍanam

Translation

ആശ്രിതഭൃത്യരെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കൽ, സദ്ജനങ്ങൾ, ബന്ധുക്കൾ, തപസ്വികൾ എന്നിവരുടെ സാന്നിധ്യം വിട്ടൊഴിയൽ; കൂടാതെ പശു, ക്ഷത്രിയൻ, വൈശ്യൻ, സ്ത്രീ, ശൂദ്രൻ എന്നിവരെ പ്രഹരിക്കൽ—ഇവ നിന്ദ്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ।

Word by Word

• भृत्यानाम्: of servants
• भृत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• परित्यागः: abandonment, desertion
• परित्यागः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परित्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• साधु: virtuous
• साधु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; 'good/virtuous'

• बन्धु: relatives
• बन्धु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) प्रातिपदिक; 'kinsmen'

• तपस्विनाम्: of ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• क्षत्रिय: Kshatriyas
• क्षत्रिय: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) प्रातिपदिक; 'Kshatriyas'

• वैश्यानाम्: of Vaishyas
• वैश्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• स्त्री: women
• स्त्री: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; 'women'

• शूद्राणाम्: of Shudras
• शूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• ताडनम्: beating, striking
• ताडनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताडन (प्रातिपदिक; √ताड् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; action-noun)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim about to depart is shown first feeding dependents and offering respect to sādhus; in contrast, a violent figure raising a stick toward a cow and a woman is depicted as being stopped by a stern ascetic.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes non-violence and duty of care—protecting dependents and honoring the virtuous are essential to righteous life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse provides general dharmic prohibitions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical injunction shaping conduct that makes worship and pilgrimage spiritually effective.